The Diego Diaries: The next morning... edited for boo boos :D
-0-At the house
They sat together at the table, one eating a baby cracker and one watching. Ironhide watched as his daughter noshed, his son, Praxus sitting on his lap sipping a cup of Cybertronian 'milk'. Praxus was watching Hero who was one of his favorite partners for play. She was watching him, smiling every other bite at the older brother most like her in temperament.
Orion was following Sunspot around, a Blue Dog dollie trailing in his wake. He had it by an ear and was 'chatting'. Sunspot was chatting back as he gathered his school stuff, cleaned his room, fed his dog and helped.
Ratchet walked out of Prowler's berthroom, the baby in arms and a clutch of hats and jackets for the infants. Spring was in full force but the nights had turned colder. They ranged from a comfortable -40 degrees for infants to a brisk -120.
He carefully put Prowler into his bouncy chair which was waiting on the table for him, then sat. "I grabbed a few things for the sparklings. It's cold out."
"I saw that. Planet should decide what it wants to be," Ironhide said taking a little black jacket with a bunny on it for Praxus. Given that he had wings, it was a matter of bending him forward enough to slip the jacket on and button it. His hat had bunny ears. He looked adorable.
Ratchet snickered. "Praxus, you are so cute."
He grinned ginormously. "ADA! ME?"
"Prac, you," Ratchet replied handing Ironhide Hero's little yellow coat and flower covered matching hat. He carefully folded her femme wings down and put it on her, fastening the front. The hat took a moment of positioning to get her finials right but she was finished and cute as a bug.
A knock and the door opening caught everyone's attention as the grand genitors entered to Spot's delight. Orion leaped on his grand atar's ped as a big servo gripped his tiny aft. Sitting on Blackjack's servo grinning like the Cheshire Cat, Orion was good to go.
Ironhide tossed him Orion's hat and coat. Blackjack held him while Alor dressed his squirming little aft. "I hear that we don't have to worry about sand storms anymore. I wonder if they can do something about the cold. Little mech doesn't like getting dressed up."
"It isn't normal for him but then this planet isn't either. Beggers can't be choosers the humans say," Ratchet said rising. He turned and tossed Sunspot his hat. He slipped it on with a grin, then was helped into his coat. It was designed for Seekers. It allowed him to fit his wings which were sensitive to fluctuations in temperature at his still developing age.
"You look awesome, Sunny Bunny," Ratchet said with a grin.
He smiled. "Does Spot need a jacket and hat?" he asked looking at his dog.
Ratchet shrugged. "Watch him. If he does, let us know."
"I will," Sunspot said getting his book bag and small globe of Cybertron. Today was mapping of the home world in clay. He was going to do the Sonic Canyons.
"I see that Hero is ready to go," Ravel said smiling at his granddaughter. She smiled back and offered her arms.
Ironhide leaned in and kissed her, rubbing his nose against her cheek. She smiled and gripped his face hugging him closely. Then Ravel picked her up and kissed her cheek. "We will go and see how your orn goes, my baby," Ravel said tucking her into his arm. "Then you will have a happier orn. So will your atar."
Ironhide stood and watched as the group turned to go to school. When Alor and Blackjack were in town, they took the infants to school. Tie Down and Blackjack took Orion and Praxus. Ravel had Sunspot usually and Alor took Hero. Today, Ravel and Tie would care for Hero. They took their leave and it was quiet a moment.
"Does this help?" Ratchet asked quietly.
"A little. Maybe." Ironhide looked down at Prowler who was looking up at him with quizzical optics. The tiny red chevron was bright as the infant tried to figure out his situation. Ironhide sat and pulled the little chair over. He looked at his son. "Just you and me, kid. Its not going to be as much fun today."
Prowler waved his arms in excitement as he watched his father looking at him. Ratchet sat and looked at him too. "Looks like he got over it," Ratchet said with a grin. "You will too."
"No. I'll get used to it," Ironhide said quietly. "I haven't gotten over the others yet either."
"That's why there's weekends, Ironhide," Ratchet said patting his servo. "I have to go to the hospital. Been a few and I have to get things back in order." He rose. "You and Prowler have fun." He walked to the door and with a grin exited the apartment.
It was quiet, the soft background sounds never heard normally suddenly very loud. He sat looking at his newest progeny and grinned slightly. "You're too cute. I like chevrons. Your old ada actually got a fake one because of that. Your old ada is a hoot." He sat back, the infant following his every move. "I think I have to do some data work first. You'll have to hang out in your little bag. Then we'll go down below to check out the Seeker munitions stockpiles here and around the city. Might as well get right into the life. We're in the army and there's no rest from the bad mechs."
Prowler smiled, a giant smile that was spark warming to his old pa. Ironhide grinned and rose walking to the berthroom to get the stuff he needed. A blanket to be a pad in his hold, the little Seeker bag that was home away from home and the little hat that would keep his little helm warm. It was a black and white hat with a badge woven into it that said 'To Serve and Protect'.
Deft servos did the delicate work of getting a baby into a bag and hat. Then Ironhide tucked him into his hold. He would walk to the Armory and get his work done. Then he would wander onward with his littlest buddy inspecting things, chatting as the baby lay on a flat box while his old atar lifted lids to see inside munitions boxes and share a cookie later on.
It would be better than the day before. By a long measure, it would.
-0-At the hospital
Ratchet walked into his office and noted the pile of things stacked there. He sat and sorted them wondering as he did how Hero and Ironhide would be doing. Transitions were hard especially when they had a chance to live a nice life at long last. Being an older parent was a pain in the aft sometimes. He began to busy himself in work and the joors slowly crept by.
-0-Bluestreak and Sideswipe earlier
He stood at the kitchen sink stacking morning things. The twins were dressed and so was Kaon. Grandpas Miler and Venture would be coming to take them because Bluestreak was due at the shooting range in breems. Sideswipe who had the orn off considered what he would do. When Miler, Venture, Bluestreak and the sparklings left, he grinned. He walked back into the berth room, collapsed on the big expanse of soft comfort and fell into recharge.
-0-Prowl and the in-laws
They stepped off the elevator on their way back to the Residence. It was the floor just below. Glancing at each other, they turned to Prowl. Didn't we miss a floor, Prowl?" Kestrel asked.
"We both, Optimus and I want to show you something, Kestrel," Prowl said gently taking Tagg's arm. "Optimus is already there." He led them to the second apartment door from the elevator and opened it. He stepped back and nodded, the two walking past to go inside.
Optimus was sitting on a couch reading a datapad which had all of the overnight news and important things necessary for his attention down loaded. He looked up and smiled, rising to stand. "Hi. Welcome to your new home."
They looked at him, Prowl, then all around. The apartment was big and beautiful. It was three berthrooms with large general living spaces. It fronted on the air field and had a beautiful view of Aerie Hill. The place was furnished comfortably with extra touches that Prowl and Bluestreak had provided already. Kestrel turned to look at Optimus. "Orion, what are you saying?" he asked, his familiar face and colors soothing to his son.
"Everyone gets a home, Ada. No one gets a better home than anyone else. This apartment became vacant because the family who lived here found their genitors and had need of a bigger space. Now this is yours." He felt almost giddy at the idea of giving his genitors a nice home of their own for the first time in their lives. It was astonishing to him how good he felt at this moment.
They looked around, then at each other. Tagg turned to his son. "Orion, what do we do?"
Optimus considered that a moment. Then he understood. "Nothing. You don't have to do a thing. Elders don't have to slave anymore if they don't want to. We take care of them. If you want to go to school, you can. If there is a skill you want to learn, you can. You don't have to do anything to live here like this if you don't want to. You have earned the life you will live here. No one will order you around any more," he said with more bitterness than he thought he still felt.
They looked at him, then each other. "This is so beautiful, son," Tagg said. "Kestrel and I want to help you. If you tell us what we can do, we will. You have a big burden, Orion. We want to help you."
"Just being here safe and restored helps me more than you can know, Atar," Optimus said. "Just knowing that you live here, that you can do what you want and you aren't hurt or hungry, that makes me very happy."
They nodded, then Kestrel looked at Tagg. "You always wanted to be an engineer, Tagg."
He nodded. "I know. But that was then. I'm too old and uneducated to have thoughts like that."
"No," Optimus said quietly. "You aren't. I myself took a physics course at the University just recently."
They looked at him, then smiled. "You went to University?" Kestrel asked.
He nodded. "I did. I really had to work hard. Physics is more abstract than I thought it was."
They nodded. "I am sure you were wonderful. You always were a wonderful learner, Orion," Kestrel said. "Maybe we can look. Do they mind if we look?"
"They want everyone to look. I want you to spend time just walking around to look at things. There is so much to see and do here. The idea of you being whatever you want to be is the ideal here."
They looked at their son, then nodded. Kestrel looked around, then walked to the hallway peering into the master berthroom. "Oh my," he said. "This is so nice." He disappeared for a moment, then appeared again. "Tagg, they have a wash rack in the apartment. Just like the Residence."
"All of our habitations do, Ada," Optimus said with a slight grin. "Everyone gets to live a good life here."
He looked at his son, then leaned against the door. "I don't know what to say."
Prowl walked to Kestrel and took his arm. "Sit down, Kes. You look tired."
Kestrel sat and Tagg joined him. "This is going to take a while to get used to," Tagg said.
"We all still are," Optimus said with a nod. Prowl sat down beside him.
"We're just glad you're here. The infants need good influences," Prowl said gently.
"We will help you with them. All of them are so sweet. The older mechs, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe ... they're lovely boys," Kestrel said as Tagg nodded.
Optimus and Prowl just smiled and nodded too. Pranks be damned.
-0-City Hall, Autobot City, Mars
He walked down the corridor that led to the Patents and Terran Business Office headed by Caro, bond of Payload. It staffed five employees, two techs and a secretary. It would now count a lawyer as staff as well. He entered and walked through the crowded office to a door that was open. The youthful figure of Caro was inside sorting through a number of datapads that required vetting. He looked up. "Hi. Can I help you?" he asked.
"I think that's my question," Fenix replied with a slight grin. "How can I help you?"
-0-TBc
04-30-13